I sent out that I was looking for a topic to write about, so
that I could dust off this blog and start using it again. In addition to several very funny suggestions
from a few “helpers”, it was asked where I find my happy and my creative
inspiration.
I have a hard time with quantifying what my creative
inspiration is. For me, there are two
types of creativity. There are those who
are inspired to create entirely new things, original patterns, artwork and so
on. Then there are those, like me, who
are good at taking existing things and applying them in new ways. I am not inspired to sit down and create
art. My inspiration comes from seeing
things and wanting to learn how they were made, then try creating it myself. For a long time I thought that this did not
qualify as creativity, as I looked at others who could dream up fantastic
things and bring them to life and felt that what I do doesn't compare. I have come to realize any method of creating
beauty is important. We need the
dreamers and inventors, but we also need the people who can take their concepts
then replicate and teach them so that more people can enjoy them. Both types of creativity are important, and
part of populating the world with beautiful things. I guess you could say that it is all the
beauty and wonder that inspires me.
Rather than a sunny day or lovely garden, it’s seeing a woven belt or an
embroidered hat that fires my imagination and has me wondering how they did it
and if it is that something I can learn to do.
That leads in to where I find my happy in the SCA. One of my biggest sources of joy is the
opportunity to learn. I am fascinated by
learning new skills and concepts. It
doesn't really help me with completing projects, but I’m really good at
starting new ones! I love seeing how
everything connects together. With every
field of interest, you can look and see how the basic concepts build, then
connect to more advanced concepts, then spread out to other areas and
techniques. All of this is there, but at
the same time it can all be traced back to a simple beginning.
The other main source of my happy is the people I've met in
the SCA. I often refer to my Barony as
my home, and my close friends as my family.
This is very much the truth for me.
The love and support and encouragement I have received from the people I
have been privileged to know is unmatched by anything else in my life. They inspire me to learn, to be creative, to
be more outgoing, to be confident, to be patient, to be kind, to be generous
with myself and my time, to explore, to be so much more than I ever thought I
could be. The depth of feeling I have
for those who have made me part of their lives is immeasurable.
I guess you could say that my inspiration and my happy are
all wrapped up together. I am in love
with learning about beautiful things, and sharing that knowledge with
others. I am in love with the family I
have found, the people I have met, and everything they have shown me about
myself. I love being part of an
organization that encourages me to aspire to high ideals, and that recognizes
me when I do good work. So much of what
the SCA has become for me is beauty and love.
I have to say, I think I’m getting the better end of the deal.
